Blood Red Believer
by CuteCat213
Summary: A dead mother and abusive father, tortured at home and bullied at school, and cutting to deal with his pain; is there any way Hidan can escape the hellish prison his life has become? And what happens when secrets start to unravel and some of his greatest tormentors begin to suspect? KakuHida, KisaIta, SasoDei, ZetsTobi, PainKonan.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Claimer: The poem near the end is all mine.

* * *

Prologue

* * *

Hidan was smart, smarter than anyone gave him credit for. He was sly as a fox, wily as a coyote, and slippery as a fish. But he wasn't smart the way other people were.

Hidan had always known he was different than other people, that his brain didn't work the same way theirs did. His mind operated about twenty degrees off from others. His only two friends had similar problems, to different extents. Deidara was around fifteen degrees off, Tobi more like thirty.

It was this difference that allowed Hidan to walk around school with one of his greatest secrets hidden in plain sight. His school cloak, a piece of clothing with the school's icon of red clouds against a black background, was long-sleeved and opened at the chest, proudly displaying his rosary with his Jashinism pendant. People watched the albino teen, they stared at his chest, his rosary, his pretty face, and no one noticed how the long sleeves of his cloak went to half-way down his thumbs, perfectly concealing his arms and wrists.

* * *

Hidan winced as his wrist rubbed against his desk, his scowl deepening. His foot tapped impatiently against the floor, waiting for the last bell of the day. As soon as it rang, he was out the door before anyone else had even gathered their things.

He ran out the school doors with an uncharacteristic grin on his face, bag thrown over one shoulder. Three miles from the building, he saw two figures running towards him, both waving frantically. The blonde reached him first, "Hidan! How was your day, un?"

The other caught up with them, his enthusiasm shining through the swirling orange mask he wore, "Yeah, Hidan-sempai, tell us!"

"The best fucking day I've had in weeks! The bastards weren't there at all today. I saw and spoke to Sasori for a few minutes as we passed in the halls without anyone seeing. Who says Mondays suck?"

The shortest of them giggled, "Itachi-san took the others out for the day. Tobi stayed behind because Tobi is a good boy! Tobi wanted to surprise Hidan-sempai!" there was a momentary pause, "Surprise, Hidan-sempai!"

Hidan smirked and ruffled the ebony spikes with his hand, "Thanks, squirt, it was a great surprise."

Deidara shifted from foot to foot, "So, are you coming over to my house, un?"

"Hell yeah, I intend to stretch this good day out as long as I fucking can."

Their companion jumped around, "Yay! Tobi is happy!"

Both other teens smiled at their friend's joy before all three headed in the direction of the blonde's house. Upon entry, Tobi immediately set about making sandwiches for everybody and Deidara got out glasses for drinks. There was a sound from another room in the flat before a woman stuck her head around the corner, "Oi, brats. What's going on?"

Hidan smirked up at the older blonde, "Hey, Tsunade-chan."

The twenty-two year old smiled at them, "Hey there, Hidan-kun, Tobi-kun. Dei-chan, will they be staying the night?"

The younger blonde shook his head, then paused, "Er, actually, I don't know, Neechan."

The masked teen looked up from his task, "Tobi will stay. Tobi will just be picked on if Tobi goes home anyway."

Hidan sighed, "Wish I could, Tsunade-chan. Not an option tonight, but how about tomorrow?"

Tsunade sighed and stepped fully into the room, tossing one of her pigtails over her shoulder, "You sure about that, Hidan-kun?"

"Yeah, they're likely to find my body floating down the river as it is."

"Okay, at least let me check you over before you leave."

Hidan's voice became mock sulky and he bowed his head, "Yes, Doctor Tsunade."

She smirked at him, "Another few months and you won't be able to say that mockingly, you brat."

"Don't worry, I'll find a way, Dr.I-skipped-four-grades-and-graduated-at-fourteen ."

Tsunade was about to make a snappy come-back when Tobi held a plate of sandwiches in front of her face, "Tobi is done! Would Tsunade-sama like to eat with us?"

Seeing as the food was already made, the woman smiled at the over enthusiastic teen and nodded, "Thank you, Tobi."

"Tobi is a good boy?"

She chuckled lightly and ruffled his hair like Hidan had, "Hai, Tobi is a very good boy. You know my kitchen catastrophes, I couldn't even make sandwiches as good as yours."

Hidan scoffed, "You're lucky you can make water."

Deidara was on the other side of the modest four-person table from him, shaking his head frantically and making slashing motions across his throat. The blue-eyed teen sighed at the fire in his elder sister's eyes. There wasn't a single time in his memory that Hidan and Tsunade could be in the same room without starting an argument, though more often than not it ended with smiles on the faces of both. He plopped his chin in his hand and watched the bickering with amusement in his sky blue eyes.

His sister was Deidara's idol. He couldn't even really remember their parents as anything but shadowy blurs. Tsunade had always taken care of him, even when their parents had been alive. They had each worked two jobs, and neither of their children would have been able to pick them out of a crowd. So when the car crash had robbed them of their parents when Tsunade was sixteen and Deidara was ten, it hadn't been much of an impact on the younger blonde, and the life insurance had played the same part as the people themselves. The only remnant of their parents was a single picture on the mantle in the living room, with six pictures of the siblings alone and the other ten photos of them with Hidan and Tobi.

After the small argument between Tsunade and Hidan, with the albino being victorious, they settled down to eat. Tobi took his mask off to eat, revealing delicate, almost feminine features, and dichromatic eyes, his right eye being red with his left being black. Tobi had ham and cheese sandwiches with banana slices on them. Deidara had ham, cheese, and pickles. Hidan, as always, devoured his sandwiches of pepperoni, cheese and miracle whip. Tsunade nibbled at her healthy fare of fruit sandwiches with strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, and kiwi slices. Deidara had set out glasses and Hidan had filled them with soda, with the notable exception of milk for Tsunade.

The pale teen sighed as he finished his food, "I have to go."

Tsunade did a terrible job of hiding the massive amount of worry she felt when she looked at him, "Be careful."

"It'll hurt the same either way." the albino said as he grabbed his backpack, "Later."

Tsunade frowned at his back as he left, "Dammit Hidan, damn you for going through this on your own. Let us help you, baka, don't suffer alone."

* * *

Hidan stood outside the door, staring at the stained wood. Taking a breath, he opened the door and went inside, closing it behind him. He immediately dodged to the right, the punch that was aimed at his face hitting him in the shoulder instead and forcing him back against the door he just closed, there was no doubt his impact with the knob would leave a nasty bruise on his lower back.

A hand wrapped around his throat and slammed his head against the wood, smearing it with blood that started to trickle from the wound left on impact. He made no struggle against the attacks or the grip on his windpipe that lifted him off the ground, "You little shit, you're late. What the fuck were you doing you worthless little waste of space?"

He was abruptly dropped to the ground and curled up to absorb the kick that came his way on his hip rather than his stomach. Hidan grimaced at the pain, but didn't make a sound other than to speak, "I got detention for not turning in homework." he said monotonously.

"Stupid little bastard! Good for nothing retard!"

He was hauled up-right by the collar of his school cloak, "S-sorry."

Hidan was sent soaring through the air to hit the coffee table, sliding across the top of the sturdy little thing and falling to the floor on the far side of it. His blood-slicked hair was used as a handle to yank him up again, "Go to your room and wait for me."

After a knee to the stomach and kick to the shin he was thrown towards his room and he struggled to his feet to obey. It wasn't even three minutes later when his father entered the room, Hidan's eyes widening as they landed on the straps in the elder male's hands. The strong leather restraints meant only one thing and Hidan started shaking.

A critical eye glanced his way, "Lose the fucking clothes. Now. Every second you keep me waiting is a stripe."

Trembling hands removed the clothing as quickly as they could, unveiling once-pale, bruise-mottled flesh covered in scars. Vivid magenta eyes dulled to a pastel pink in fear and pain as he was shoved onto his small bed and the straps used to tie his limbs immobile.

A whistle-swish made his heart skip a beat, "It took you ten seconds. You keep count, if you fail to give count, the blow will be repeated until you do. If you lose count, it will start over."

Hidan had no warning before a line of fire engulfed his back. He shivered for a moment in false pleasure before his nerves registered the pain, "One." another stripe, "T-two."

"Do not stutter. Again."

"Two." another, "Three." and another, "F-four." an even harder hit, "Four."

By the time he reached ten, his back was a mass of bloody welts and he was nearly delirious with the pain of the whipping and the head injury he'd received. Hidan heard the rustle of clothing behind him and shoved his face in the pillow under him, knowing what was coming next. A heavy weight pressed him to the blood-soaked mattress and painful heat seared his anemia-chilled body. He bit through his lip as blazing agony raced up his spine and down his legs at the forced entry. Grunts came from above and behind him, each one accompanied by a fresh wave of searing pain through his small frame.

A rough hand threaded itself into his bloody hair and pulled harshly at the abused locks, but failed to illicit a sound from him. Time faded to nothing in a gray haze of pain as rough hands ran over his mutilated back and the thrusts continued unabated. Eventually the pleasured sounds stopped and searing warmth coated his torn entrance. The weight lifted from him and one of his wrist restraints was slackened.

Silence engulfed the room and Hidan both as his father left. Ignoring the pain that radiated up his spine with every movement, he undid his other restraints with his freed hand and put the straps on the dresser by the door, closing and locking it as he went past. He flopped down on the soiled sheets and felt his whole body lock up at the agony of the impact on every wound and injury he'd gotten. Hidan rolled over and reached under the bed, searching blindly for the loose floorboard and the things it held secret. He found it and withdrew the small rectangle he needed, pulling his arm back caused the little ambient light remaining to glint off the metal.

Without hesitation, he drew the razor blade across his right forearm, three inches past his scarred wrists on the first area of unmarked flesh. Warm crimson welled and beaded at the red line before running down to his elbow in rivulets. Hidan sighed at the familiar pain and turned onto his back, holding his arm above him. Scarlet drops fell and hit his face, running down his cheeks in a morbid parody of tears. He watched in fascination before slitting the tip of a finger with the blade and drawing a circle on his chest with a circumscribed equilateral triangle inside it.

"Jashin-sama, accept my pain as tribute. Quench yourself on the blood I offer in your name. Wash my sins in blood and hold my soul." his voice broke, "Grant me peace, please. That's all I ask, peace from the hell that surrounds me."

Hidan's sight faded at the edges and he didn't fight it, letting the darkness take him away. _Someone, help, please, save me._

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

Hidan woke up to the sound of his massager dinging obsessively like a cell phone with tourette's. He rolled over with a grimace, the sheets sticking to his lacerated back. He peeled off the cloth and looked over at his computer, noting the time in the corner. _Shit, looks like I'm going to be late today._

He flopped in the desk chair with no regard for the piece of furniture and rolled his eyes as he pulled up the locked window and typed in his password, seeing the _six-hundred and counting _messages from Deidara and Tobi. He erased his entire in-box without looking at any of them, then logged into their private chat room that Tobi had fixed up.

_BloodRedBeliever has logged on._

_AhatoKatsu has logged on._

_DichromaticBadBoy has logged on._

_BloodRedBeliever:_ Fucking enough already, I'm up.

_AhatoKatsu: _BloodRedBeliever! We were worried sick, yeah!

_DichromaticBadBoy: _Is BRB-sempai okay?

_BloodRedBeliever:_ Define 'okay'. I need to see Neechan. Immediately.

_AhatoKatsu:_ She thought you would, yeah, so she called in sick at work.

_DichromaticBadBoy: _Will BRB-sempai go to school today?

_BloodRedBeliever:_ Yeah. Speaking of which, I need to get my ass in gear. Talk to you later. Maybe.

_AhatoKatsu:_ Later, yeah.

_DichromaticBadBoy:_ Bye-bye, BRB-sempai.

_BloodRedBeliever has logged off._

_AhatoKatsu has logged off._

_DichromaticBadBoy has logged off._

Hidan put the desktop into sleep mode and headed for the shower. Regardless of what he was going through, his routine was relatively consistent. Get up, get washed, clean the room (and anything else that had blood on it), get dressed, and either go to school or settle down to do his homework if he was too injured to go that day, with possible visits to or by Tsunade. He sighed as he closed the bathroom door. _Just another average day._

* * *

Hidan grimaced as he came upon the dead-end hallway. Of course he had to get turned around and end up in the one hall of the building that was under construction and therefore closed off. _Note to self: have chat with subconscious; RE: common sense and observational skills._

He hid his distaste as Pein cracked his knuckles, Kisame grinned toothily down at him, and Zetsu's dual personalities looked equal parts exited and disgusted respectively. Kakuzu and Sasori stood in the wings, and Konan and Itachi were along for what he assumed was emotional support seeing as they'd never yet bothered to raise a hand to him.

Hidan knew this was going to fucking hurt; always did, and on the heels of a 'family night' to boot. He was outnumbered five to one, six to one if both halves of Zetsu were counted, and seven or eight to one if Itachi and Konan were and dependent upon the Zetsu debate. He didn't have, as Kakuzu had _so fucking _eloquently stated at one point, a snowflake's chance in hell. There was no chance at all of him getting out of this with anything less than the hell beat out of him, let alone actually _winning_. His best bet was to stand down and take his beating like a man, or a bitch, as the case may be.

Yeah, like that had ever stopped him.

Hidan dropped into his fighting stance and flippantly waved them on, "Bring it on, fuckers."

* * *

Coming out of the art building, Hidan spotted Sasori coming his way for his own art period. The redhead was about to nod toward him, unaware of the person just a few places back in the approaching crowd. Hidan glared at him, clueing him in and warning him they were watched.

There was the slightest widening of dark eyes before the expression was wiped away as though it had never been, and harshly ramming Hidan's shoulder as he passed by. Hidan fell to the wet grass beside the sidewalk, not expecting Sasori to bump him that hard. His open backpack spewed things onto the damp school lawn in a lovely display of jumbo confetti. _Dammit you lifeless corpse, overkill!_

"Watch where the hell you're going, fucker!"

Kisame snickered as he followed the redhead, and the albino's head dropped when he heard the bell for the next class ring. _Yeah, should have expected that. Shit, I gotta hurry, Yamato-sensei doesn't tolerate tardiness. _He grabbed everything he could and shoved it in his backpack, running for his next class.

It was a difficult to keep up with the act, and sometimes he wasn't sure if he admired Sasori, or hated his fucking guts. Then again, it was his own fault that the redhead beat him with the rest of the assholes, but he'd never have been able to handle the guilt otherwise. He remembered that day...

_He grabbed the shorter teen by the cloak and slammed him up against the wall outside the empty school, "Damn you, fight me!"_

_"Why?"_

_"Because 'they'll' get suspicious if you don't, and you'll end up a reject like me. And then Dei will feel guilty and end this thing between you even though you're the best thing that's ever happened to him." he slammed him against the wall again for emphasis, "And Jashin help you if you do anything to break that boy's heart."_

_"He'll be hurt if we fight."_

_"I'll explain it to him later. Now fucking **hit **me, you damn puppet!"_

Yeah, it was his fault and he shouldn't complain, but, dammit... He and Sasori actually got along pretty well outside of school, they seemed to have the same morbid sense of humor. Hidan shook his head with a smirk. _Talk about frienemies._

* * *

Kakuzu, Kisame and Sasori were the first ones out of the art class because no one was willing to cut in front of them, for good reason. You didn't mess with the most popular and dangerous people in the school and get away unscathed. Hidan was ample example of that and no one wanted to follow in his footsteps. Always keeping an eye on the ground for any dropped change, Kakuzu noticed the crumpled paper that had landed in a shallow puddle from the rain they'd gotten the previous night.

He picked it up and stuffed it in his bag for later perusal, it might have something important on it. Like an incriminating piece of info he could sell back to the owner, for the right price.

* * *

Deidara winced, "Ouch, Hidan, un. You look like shit, un."

The albino didn't even muster a glare, merely sighing, "Yeah, tell me about it. Momma said there'd be days like this: she just never said there'd be so damn many, so fucking close together."

"What happened, un? You never look this down after school."

"Just... just the same old shit again and again and again. Important lesson, Dei: never hit a man when he's down; kick him, it's alot easier and you don't have to bend as far."

The Uchiha with them nodded diligently, "Tobi will remember!"

The remaining walk to the Senju household was conducted in silence, one that didn't last once they got through the door. Tsunade took note of Hidan's heavy limp, "What happened?"

The albino glared at her, "What the fuck do you _think _happened?"

She sighed, "Go get changed and wait for me in my room."

His glare intensified, "_Hell _no!"

Now it was her turn to glare, "What part of that sounded like a choice to you? I need to clean the injuries and stitch closed the wounds so they don't get infected. For fucks' sake, Hidan, don't act like this is the first time we've gone over this routine."

"I'm _not _getting stitched _there _again."

"You will if I decide you need it. How many times have I seen you naked? You should be beyond this embarrassment by now."

Deidara winced, "I don't think it's possible to get over embarrassment like that, un."

The unusually quiet masked teen nodded as well, "Tobi agrees."

The elder blonde sighed again, "I know this is beyond humiliating, Hidan, I don't much like having to force you to it either. But you'll hate it even more if you get an infection and end up in a hospital with a dozen strangers poking and prodding the very last fucking place you want touched."

The magenta eyed teen seemed to deflate at the comment, "Yeah, I know. I'm going."

Kakuzu closed the door to his room and withdrew his homework assignments, causing a ball of paper to fall out on the bed. Remembering how he'd acquired it earlier, he decided that his homework could wait a few minutes while he satisfied his curiosity. He uncrumpled the sheet, flattening it out with the help of the side of his end table.

It appeared to be a medical report of some kind. He quickly scanned the page and his eyes widened to impossible proportions at what was said. _Anal tearing and fissures... Blunt force trauma to forty percent of the body... Sharp force trauma to the head, minor concussion. Hairline fractures..._

Kakuzu scanned the top of the page, but found no identifying information. He flipped the paper over and found something printed on it.

'You don't matter, by BloodRedBeliever

Cut and break.

Scream from rape.

End this life.

Embrace the knife.

Hear yourself, as you shatter.

You know so well that you don't matter.

It's all right there within his eyes.

Searing pain denotes his size.

You feel yourself choke on crimson.

Screaming that your hate has risen.

Staring blankly at the sky.

Dripping tears you think you cry.

Blood trails down your skin in rills.

Penance for your whoring skills.

Something bleeds and something cracks.

Tearing pieces from your masks.

Fight him off, deny his claim.

Arch yourself into the pain.

Listen careful, hear death's call.

Find a way to end it all.

Yes, it's true, you know you'll shatter.

And in the end, you still won't matter.'

There was something else written below it, but it was too smudged from being in a puddle to be legible, the only thing he could make out was 'AhatoKatsu'.

Keeping the paper firmly in hand, Kakuzu booted up his computer and looked for the name. Google popped up the information 'AhatoKatsu's account,' on a chat site.

He clicked the link and a screen with what looked like blood drops falling like rain appeared, with the usual login box. He clicked the sign-up button and a black box appeared in the window with 'Invitation only! Password?' in red.

After an hour of failed attempts, Kakuzu closed the site and turned to his homework, but the problem still nagged at the back of his mind. He hated asking for favors, he preferred at all times for people to be in debt to him, but just this once, he'd make an exception. When he was finished with his assignments, he pulled out his cell and hit the speed dial.

It rang twice before an emotionless voice on the other end answered, "Kakuzu."

"Itachi, you owe me one."

x


	2. Chapter 2

_I hate my life._ It was a string of words that replayed endlessly every day. It very well could have been his motto, or catchphrase. The words repeating over and over again like a mantra. Or maybe more of a litany. And _fuck _Tsunade for forcing him to take Advanced Literature as a course! He slept through that mother fucking class _every day!_ And _still _he managed to learn shit! It was like he was absorbing it through osmosis or something. And there it fucking was again! _How the hell do I even __**know **__a word like 'osmosis'?!_

He ground his teeth as several locks of silver fell in his face. Hidan viciously ran his hand through his hair, corralling the rampant strands back into place with a snarl. _Jashin damn it all! Even my fucking hair is against me today!_ He was so far beyond pissed it wasn't even funny. First that lovely wake-up, a completely redundant cold shower, then the pouring down rain on the walk to school -without a coat or umbrella, mind- and arriving late to get detention, then the ruination -dammit! There it was again!- of the homework he _did _do thanks to Team Asshole, and _another _detention from his teacher for failing to turn in his work! And now his hair! The one thing on a day-to-day basis that he had total control over, and it was staging a fucking rebellion!

That did it. Hidan had skipped straight over pissed and gone right to the scary side of bitchy. Students around the albino started inching further away, wary of the pure, get-the-fuck-out-of-my-damn-way scary-as-hell aura he was emitting. The end-bell for the class rang and Hidan stalked through the student body, the crowd parting like the red sea for Moses. This was _not _a day to fuck with Hidan Yuu! Of course, there just had to be a few students that had a death wish, and Hidan was bound to run into them.

And run into one of them he did. Hard.

"Ow. Fucking dammit! Watch where the hell you're going, asshole!" he shouted as he landed hard on his ass. His backpack came off his shoulder and slid down the hall and his hair was in his face...again. He swiped his hand through the rogue locks, with no little contempt for the several silver strands he ripped out with the motion, so as to effectively glare up at the brick wall impersonating a human that had run into him.

Kakuzu Kokoro stared down at him emotionlessly, one eyebrow raised, "_You _ran into _me_, Snowflake."

Hidan glowered and stuck his hand out, "Shut the fuck up and help me up, bastard. It was your fault."

That stuck-up eyebrow managed to raise even further, "Look at that, you actually managed an entire sentence without single a curse word. Didn't hurt yourself, I hope."

It was the wrong thing to say. The albino leveled him with a glare that even Itachi Uchiha couldn't hope to match, and _snarled_, "Oh, my fucking _Jashin_. Does the sheer over-abundance of your arrogance come naturally, or do you actually have to fucking work at it?"

The older teen looked at him with clear surprise, "That was an awful lot of big words for someone failing their Literature class."

"I know!" Hidan exploded, "It's like it's invading my fucking brain! I sleep through that class every single day and it still gets in! It's like the teacher is raping my fucking ear! I just try to get some Jashin-damned sleep and here I end up learning shit! It's a pain in the ass!"

The masked teen rolled his eyes, "Get _up_, Snowflake. I don't have time to listen to your pissing and bitching. Some of us plan to _make _something of ourselves."

Hidan swept up from the floor in a surprising and fluid movement without using his hands and stood toe-to-toe with Kakuzu, amethyst eyes flashing fire. He raised his hand and poked the miser in the chest, "Listen here, fuck face. I'll elucidate thoroughly so as to better improve your comprehension of the situation as it stands. It. Was. Your. Fucking. Fault!" each solo word was punctuated by another poke to the chest.

The larger teen growled and swiped the other's hand away, grabbing him by his collar and lifting him off the floor, "Do. Not. Touch. Me." each of _his _words accompanied by a rough shake.

The Jashinist scowled down at him from his lofty new view, "Hit me. I fucking dare you. You could use a good ass-whooping, and none of your little side-kicks are here to help you this time."

Just as the miser was about to oblige the younger male, the crowd parted to reveal a man with gravity-defying gray hair and even more of his face hidden than Kakuzu, "Now, now. No fighting in the halls. Come on, everyone get to your classes."

Kakuzu threw Hidan to the ground, "This isn't over, Snowflake." he growled before turning and stomping away.

Hidan got up off the floor again, in the more conventional way, angrily swung his bag back up on his shoulder, and hollered after the taller boy, "You bet your fucking ass it isn't!"

Kakashi-sensei shook his head, "Now, Hidan..."

He closed his eyes and stalked past the teacher, "Yeah, yeah, I know: detention. Right?"

Kakashi gave him an eye-smile, "I don't think it would be very fair of me to give my students detention for being late when I'm hardly the pinnacle of punctuality myself."

Hidan snorted at the very thought of 'Kakashi' and 'punctual' being in the same sentence together. He glanced up at the scarecrow warily, "Fucking point. But I meant about the fight."

The older man shrugged loftily, "Odd, I didn't see a fight."

"Che, whatever." Hidan hesitated a moment before forging ahead, "I, uh, noticed you haven't yet corrected me on my damn cussing, either."

"You seem to have a rather extensive vocabulary, I don't see how it's my business what use you make of it."

The irreverent teen scoffed again, "You might see a hell of alot more if you didn't go around with one eye covered all the damn time, idiot."

"True. But then, I should think you rather like my visionary skills the way they are, Hidan-kun."

Hidan paused in his steps for a moment, causing the teacher to pull ahead, before hurrying to catch up, "It was a statement of fact, Kakashi-sensei, not a suggestion."

"I rather thought so. Come now, let's get to class."

* * *

Hidan stared in horror at his Human Relations' teacher. He raised his hand and didn't bother waiting for the teacher to call on him, "Tell me you're fucking kidding me!"

Asuma-sensei glared at him, "No cursing in school, Yuu. And no, I assure you I'm very serious. You will each be assigned a partner and an egg for the next two weeks."

Hidan slammed his head on his desk, reveling in the pain, and did it again two more times in an attempt to wake himself up from what was so obviously a very bad nightmare. There was just no way possible that the teachers hated him _that_ much. Then again, this was Asuma-sensei, the man had hated his guts from the very first day. Yes, he decided, it _was,_ in fact, possible for the teacher to screw him over that badly.

Hidan drew his attention back to the bearded man as he continued explaining, "I have a ballot box here with everyone's name in it. I will draw lots to see who gets paired up with who."

A female student in the back raised her hand, "Um, sensei?"

"Yes, Konan-san?"

"Er, what if you draw the name of two girls or two boys?"

The teacher shrugged, "I don't teach nor encourage discrimination in this class. Who you get is who you get, end of discussion." he reached his hand in the box, "First person of the first pair: Sasori Akasuna. Second person of the first pair: Hiruko Haruko."

Hidan winced and glanced over to the redhead that was shooting daggers at his partner. _Just great, if Sasori doesn't kill him, Dei will for making 'moves' on his boyfriend. Hmm, which would be worse: being embalmed alive, or being blown into a million pieces?_

"Fourth pair: Konan Tenshi, and Pein Daiki."

Hidan rolled his eyes. _Yeah, they'll definitely need the practice, sucking each others' face off as much as they do. Won't be too much longer before they have the real thing._

"Seventh pair: Hidan Yuu, and Kakuzu Kokoro."

The albino's eyes became the size of dinner plates. _NOOO! Fuck, why does the universe hate me? Why?! Just what I fucking need, an all-day every-day pass for him to kick my ass. I don't get enough of it everyday from eight to four and six to midnight; monday to friday, no: let's make it twenty-four-seven._

Hidan stared straight ahead and refused to glance over to see the death-glares his 'partner' was giving him. He failed to see the raised hand until the teacher spoke, "Yes, Kakuzu-san?"

"Sensei, while I admire the goal of this assignment, I don't think I can work with my assigned partner. Is there any way to switch or pick again?"

_Yes! Please, for the love of Jashin, say we can fucking switch!_

Asuma shook his head, "I'm afraid not, you will just have to find a way to get along. This assignment counts for a quarter of your grade, so I suggest trying to work together." Hidan sighed as the bell rang, and was almost to the door when the teacher spoke again, "We'll finish the teams tomorrow, and then you can all pick up your eggs. I suggest you all get to know your partners this afternoon while you don't have an egg. Have a good day. Dismissed."

There wasn't a doubt in the albino's mind that the miser was going to follow him everywhere just to drive him insane. Okay, insan_er_. He was hardly the icon of superb mental health to begin with.

And sure enough, as soon as he closed his locker door after getting his books for the next period, he had to hold himself back from having a heart attack at seeing the partially masked face behind the locker door as he closed it. His heart skipped a beat and he jumped, "Holy Jashin! Make some fucking _noise_, will you? I hardly think you'll pass the damn assignment if you kill your partner."

Though the other's mouth wasn't visible, he got the distinct impression of a smirk, even if it wasn't present in his voice, "Don't be such a whiny bitch. I was told we were to follow one another, and that's what I'm doing."

"Would you jump off a fucking bridge if you were told to?" he snarled, ill-tempered at being surprised.

"Not unless there was money involved."

Hidan had to literally bite his lip to keep from snapping out 'You wouldn't fucking _breathe _if money wasn't involved!' He managed to hold it in, barely. He knew for a fact that he was already in for a beating for mouthing off this morning, he really didn't need to be adding to it at this point. Right now, Kakuzu was more or less entertained by his startlement, but as soon as he started dissing the miser's money, he knew he'd _really _be in for it.

* * *

Hidan let out a frustrated sound, "Just... give me ten minutes." he reached into his pocket and pulled out some money, "Here, I'll pay you ten dollars to leave me alone for ten minutes."

Kakuzu took the money and started counting, glancing at his partner, "I'm counting."

The albino breathed a sigh of relief and walked a few yards away, taking out his phone. What he failed to know was that Kakuzu had far better hearing than most others, and his conversation wasn't half as private as he thought. The pale teen held his phone to his ear, "Hey, Dei, good to hear your voice." Kakuzu was shocked, he had never seen Hidan's face in anything less than a frown, to his more common scowl. A smile completely transformed the pale teen's entire countenance.

"Yeah, sorry, I can't make it. No, it's nothing like that. You'll never guess what happened to me. No. You know that Jashin-damned stupid egg-care thing every student has to go through at one point or another? Yeah, and just try to guess my fucking partner. Half right, it's the miser, Kakuzu. Yeah, one and the same. I-I don't know. All I know is that I'm going to keep him away from the house, otherwise we're both fucked. Don't I know it? And the police are already likely to fish one body out of the river tomorrow, what with Sasori being paired up with Hiruko. I'm pretty sure he's plotting to visit Gaara with him and get the shukaku to kill his ass. I know, I actually had to pay him ten bucks just to get ten minutes to talk to you, and- Tsunade?!

"What the hell are you doing on Dei's phone? Oh, yeah, that'll go over shiningly on your permanent record: beating up a high school student for being an opportunistic, penny-pinching cheap ass. I can fight my own damn battles, thank you very much, as you should very well know. Neechan, calm the fuck down before I hang up on you, and you know that I fucking will. 'Then you'd have custody of me, I'd live with you, and not get bullied or hurt, and Dei, Tobi and I would all be in the same school district.' yeah, I know both sides of this whole conversation, Tsunade-nee. Unfortunately, we aren't actually related.

"You mean besides the sandwiches at your place, the banana split you made us, and my usual fare of teriyaki beef jerky? Not a damn thing. 'Not enough for a still developing teen, especially one in my position, and especially one in my position with the things I do.' I know both sides of that argument, too. Shall we go right into the next set about my coping mechanisms, or can we drop it already? I only have three minutes left. I'm not listening to your bitching anymore. You know what? Put Tobi on the damn phone.

"Hey, Tobi. Yeah, it was great. No one cooks like you, and yes, you're a good boy. That would be great, and help get Tsunade-nee off my fucking back. Tell her and Dei that I can't come over with the ball and chain my partner is, and I sure as fuck ain't taking him anywhere near my place. Tell me about it, I don't know if I can make it a whole week without you three. I have to figure out how the hell I'm going to get him to take the thing in the evenings. Yeess. Now, how many days a week can I avoid fights? That's right, and how many of those days when I actually go to school? 'Ohhh.' is right; not a single fucking one. Damn, I'm running out of time. Put the bitch- no, I don't really mean it, it's more like an endearment; a nickname- back on the phone.

"Hey, Tsunade-nee, take care of them for me. I'll try and see you around monday night if I can. Yeah, I know. Without our usual trip to _7Sins_, I've got shit for money this month. What the fuck do you mean? Why would you waste money on me like that? Well, because- I mean- You- Fuck it! Oh, shut it, you bitch." Hidan's cheeks lit up in a spectacular blush, "Dammit, quit laughing! Y-yeah, I, you, you, too, I guess. Fuck you! I can too say the fucking words! I-I love you, too. There! Now shut up! Take care of our brothers and I'll try to take care of myself. I know it's futile to say this, but try not to worry about me. Yeah, put me on speaker, and I swear this is the absolute last time I'm saying the Jashin-damned words.

"Hey, twerps. Take care of our sister and don't let her worry herself into the ground over me. And... I love you all. I'll talk to you all later. Bye."

The albino hung up and stared down at his phone for a few seconds before putting it in his pocket and making the trek back to his partner. The miser glanced up from his money, "That was ten minutes and thirty seconds."

"Fuck you, I ain't giving your greedy ass a cent more, bastard."

* * *

Hidan couldn't take it anymore and let out a frustrated sound, "Just... give me ten minutes." he reached into his pocket and pulled out some money he'd kept for just this purpose, "Here, I'll pay you ten dollars to leave me alone for ten minutes."

Kakuzu took the money and started counting, glancing at his partner, "I'm counting."

The albino breathed a sigh of relief and walked a few yards away, taking out his phone. Glancing back at the miser once to ensure he wasn't looking his way or attempting to eavesdrop, not that he could at this distance, the pale teen held his phone to his ear, "Hidan, un!"

A smile lit his face, "Hey, Dei, good to hear your voice." And it really was. The horrors of the school day just fell away when he spoke to his friends.

"What happened, un? You aren't at the meeting spot."

"Yeah, sorry, I can't make it."

"Is it your father, un?"

"No, it's nothing like that. You'll never guess what happened to me."

"Did you get suspended, un?"

Hidan rolled his eyes, but acknowledged the veracity of the guess, "No."

"Good, un, I was worried for a minute."

"You know that Jashin-damned stupid egg-care thing every student has to go through at one point or another?"

"They're making you do that? Now? We're high schoolers, un."

"Yeah, and just try to guess my fucking partner."

"Not one of _them_, un?"

"Half right, it's the miser, Kakuzu."

"The one that stitched himself up because he didn't want to pay for the hospital?" his shock actually making him forget to add his signature 'un'.

"Yeah, one and the same."

Worry was evident in Deidara's voice, "What are you going to do about your father, un?"

"I-I don't know. All I know is that I'm going to keep him away from the house, otherwise we're both fucked."

"Literally, un."

"Don't I know it? And the police are already likely to fish one body out of the river tomorrow, what with Sasori being paired up with Hiruko. I'm pretty sure he's plotting to visit Gaara with him and get the shukaku to kill his ass."

"Freaky, un. Sasori-danna actually texted me about something just like that. Hey! Maybe you could pay him to just leave you alone if he likes money so much, un."

"I know, I actually had to pay him ten bucks just to get ten minutes to talk to you, and-"

A female voice snapped across the line, "He what?!"

"Tsunade?!"

"Who else, brat?"

"What the hell are you doing on Dei's phone?" he was ignored in favor of a rant about the things Tsunade was going to do to Kakuzu. Hidan scoffed, "Oh, yeah, that'll go over shiningly on your permanent record: beating up a high school student for being an opportunistic, penny-pinching cheap ass. I can fight my own damn battles, thank you very much, as you should very well know."

"I'm going to go to his damn house and shatter every breakable object I see! I'm going to get Tobi to hack into his bank records and clean out his goddamned accounts!"

"Neechan, calm the fuck down before I hang up on you, and you know that I fucking will."

"I wish I really was your big sister! Then-"

" 'Then you'd have custody of me, I'd live with you, and not get bullied or hurt, and Dei, Tobi and I would all be in the same school district.' yeah, I know both sides of this whole conversation, Tsunade-nee. Unfortunately, we aren't actually related."

A sigh came over the line, "I know. And if wishes were fishes, we'd all be drowning in the slippery little bastards. So, what all have you eaten this week?"

"You mean besides the sandwiches at your place, the banana split you made us, and my usual fare of teriyaki beef jerky? Not a damn thing."

"Dammit, Hidan, you know that that's not-"

" 'Not enough for a still developing teen, especially one in my position, and especially one in my position with the things I do.' I know both sides of that argument, too. Shall we go right into the next set about my coping mechanisms, or can we drop it already?"

Another sigh, "We can skip it. But you really need to come over so I can check you over. I need to take out your stitches and-"

"I only have three minutes left. I'm not listening to your bitching anymore."

"Hidan! This isn't senseless bitching! Dammit, I'm worried about you!"

"You know what? Put Tobi on the damn phone."

"Hidan-sempai!"

"Hey, Tobi."

"Did Hidan-sempai like the lunch Tobi made?"

"Yeah, it was great. No one cooks like you, and yes, you're a good boy."

A happy squeal made him wince but smile, "Yay! Would Hidan-sempai like Tobi to make another one for Hidan-sempai?"

"That would be great, and help get Tsunade-nee off my fucking back. Tell her and Dei that I can't come over with the ball and chain my partner is, and I sure as fuck ain't taking him anywhere near my place."

"Tobi will tell them. Tobi will miss you, Hidan-sempai."

"Tell me about it, I don't know if I can make it a whole week without you three."

"How will Hidan-sempai take care of Hidan-sempai's eggy-chan? Will Kakuzu-san help?"

"I have to figure out how the hell I'm going to get him to take the thing in the evenings."

"But, but, isn't Hidan-sempai going to take care of eggy-chan, too? Eggy-chan needs you!"

"Yeess." he said, stretching out the answer. "Now, how many days a week can I avoid fights?" he asked like a teacher to a particularly slow child.

"Hidan-sempai can avoid fights three days a week, usually. Tobi remembers!"

"That's right, and how many of those days when I actually go to school?"

"None of- ohhh. Tobi sees."

" 'Ohhh.' is right; not a single fucking one. Damn, I'm running out of time. Put the bitch-" a gasp sounded and he quickly amended his statement, "no, I don't really mean it, it's more like an endearment; a nickname- back on the phone."

"Tobi will give the phone back to Tsunade-sama!"

Hidan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the elder blonde's voice, "Hey, brat."

"Hey, Tsunade-nee, take care of them for me. I'll try and see you around monday night if I can."

"Wait, monday? What about sunday? Hidan, you can't possibly be set for the month."

"Yeah, I know. Without our usual trip to _7Sins_, I've got shit for money this month."

"Listen, I thought something like this might happen someday: you not being able to go for whatever reason. I set up a bank account for you in your name with some money in it."

"What the fuck do you mean? Why would you waste money on me like that?"

"Because as annoying as you have the potential to be, you're my little brother and I love you. Why shouldn't I do everything in my power to take care of you?"

"Well, because- I mean- You- Fuck it!"

Tsunade's warm laughter came through the line, "Cat got your tongue, Hi-chan?"

"Oh, shut it, you bitch." Tsunade laughed harder. Hidan's cheeks lit up in a spectacular blush, "Dammit, quit laughing!"

"Okay, okay. But seriously, it was thanks to you that I had some of that money in the first place. You deserve to be taken care of, Hidan, like every child. I chose to be that person because I love you."

"Y-yeah, I, you, you, too, I guess."

The laughter again, "Shy, Hidan-chan? Can't you say the words?"

"Fuck you! I can too say the fucking words! I-I love you, too. There! Now shut up!"

A small chuckle followed his outburst, "Take care of yourself, otouto."

"Take care of our brothers and I'll try to take care of myself. I know it's futile to say this, but try not to worry about me."

"You're right: it is futile. Would you like me to put you on speaker-phone to say good bye?"

"Yeah, put me on speaker, and I swear this is the absolute last time I'm saying the Jashin-damned words."

"Uh-huh, sure it is." there was a moment of silence, "Okay, brat, you're on."

"Hidan, un!"

"Hidan-sempai!"

A soft smile overtook Hidan's face at their voices, "Hey, twerps. Take care of our sister and don't let her worry herself into the ground over me. And... I love you all. I'll talk to you all later. Bye."

"Bye, un!"

"Later, brat."

"Bye-bye, Hidan-sempai, bye-bye!"

Hidan hung up and stared down at the phone in his hand for a moment. _Bye, you three. I'll miss you, take care of each other. I love you._

With a final sigh, he put the mobile in his pocket and turned to walk back towards his partner. The miser glanced up from his money, "That was ten minutes and thirty seconds."

Hidan scowled at the cheap ass, "Fuck you, I ain't giving your greedy ass a cent more, bastard."

He had already paid money for something he shouldn't have had to, now the prick had the audacity to say he should give him more. _Money-grubbing bastard._ Hidan stuffed his hands in his pockets, ignoring the pain in his wrists at the action, and fingered the keychain pendant in his right pocket to calm himself down.

* * *

Hidan made it through the door to the flat and was immediately assaulted by someone with an orange mask, "Hidan-sempai!"

Hidan patted the shorter teen's head, "Hey, Tobi."

Deidara looked up from whatever he was messing with by the microwave, "Hidan, un, what are you doing here?"

"I managed to give my 'partner' the slip, and, given the choice of getting the shit beat out of me and delaying said beating, chose to come here."

"Sweet, un. Would you like something to drink?"

"What have you got?"

"We have soda and canned tea, as usual, un. There's hot coco in the cupboard. Oh! And I'm making myself some butterbeer, un."

"No! Jashin, I still gag when I think about the last time you poured that shit down my throat. It's sweet enough to gag a fucking maggot. I'm not touching the stuff ever again. And make sure Tobi doesn't get any."

"Yeah, yeah, un."

Hidan felt that Deidara wasn't giving his (completely justifiable) concerns the attention they so aptly deserved, "I'm serious, Dei! If you so much as even think about offering to make any for Tobi, Jashin help me, I'll cut off all of your fucking hair in your sleep!"

"Okay, un! No need to get violent, un!"

Hidan crossed his arms with a deadpan look, "We aren't able to eat pancakes because Tobi got drunk off the syrup, trashed the house, and fell into a sugar-induced coma for three days. And you want to introduce _butterbeer_ to that equation?"

The pyromaniac paused, "I wouldn't want to introduce a packet of artificial sweetener to that equation, un." he muttered to himself, "Er, good point, un. But-"

"No buts. Sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch syrup, butter, and cream soda: blech! Not only is it sweet enough to give you diabetes, but even at it's fucking fizziest, cream soda still tastes flat. And I can't even begin to describe how much we _really _don't need a sugar-hyped Tobi." he finished, gesturing to his waist, where the masked teen still clung.

Deidara sighed, "True, un. So, what _do _you want?"

Hidan closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, "Just some coffee. I have a report, thing, whatever, to get done."

"Right, un. Tobi, get out a glass for Hidan, un."

The smaller teen snapped upright with a salute, "Hai, Deidara-sempai! Tobi will get the glass!"

After several minutes during which Deidara and Tobi wrestled over the mug, got sugar all over the counter, and spilled coffee over Deidara's head, Hidan was seated at the table and focused on his report. Deidara left to take a quick shower, and Tobi watched Hidan work from over his shoulder.

"Who's that?"

"Some general; Martel-something. Doesn't much matter, my report's on the tactics, not the people."

"Ohhh."

It was an hour later that Tsunade got home and saw Deidara and Hidan doing homework with Tobi watching over their shoulders, "Hey, brats."

"Hey, Tsu-chan."

"Welcome home, Neechan, un."

"Hello, Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade glanced over Hidan's work and nodded, "Nice work, Hidan-kun."

He snorted, "Yeah, not that it matters much."

"Doing well always matters."

"Not when you're guaranteed a spot in summer school."

"That isn't true, Hidan."

"The fuck it isn't. I miss at least two days of school a week. I'm the Jashin-damned posterboy for delinquent, and I'm fairly sure our year book is going to say 'Most likely to drop out' under my photo."

"Hidan-"

"Deal with it, Neechan. The teachers hate my fucking guts! There's not a single doubt in my tiny little mind that I'm off to summer school come year-out."

"Don't say such demeaning things about yourself, Hidan. You're exceptionally smart."

"Bitch, have you seen my grade-point average?!"

She reached into a random kitchen drawer and pulled out a stack of papers that she shook in his face. "Have you seen your test scores?"

"And I reiterate, the teachers fucking hate me. Doesn't matter if my scores are perfect: my attendance is shit."

Tsunade let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose with her eyes shut. She took a calming breath and looked back at the still-scowling albino, "Whatever, I'm not getting into an argument with you over this. Just come to my room when you're done so I can take out your stitches. And don't even think of leaving without coming to me, or I'll give Tobi a box of pixie sticks and lock him in a closet with you."

Hidan shuddered at the mental image, "Damn, woman, no need to resort to threats; I fucking get it,"

There was relative quiet in the house after that for almost an entire hour, until...

"Fuck!"

Tsunade glanced out her bedroom door, Hidan didn't usually use that word on it's own unless something was very wrong, preferring to use it as a modifier to other terms, "What's wrong?"

Hidan was seated on the floor in front of the two-cushion coffee table, repeatedly hitting his head off the hard surface, papers strewn everywhere. He fisted both hands, one on top of the other, rested his chin on them and growled his frustration, "Dei, next time you see your boyfriend, give him a stiff kick in the ass for me."

Deidara peeked in from the kitchen at the disaster area the living room had been turned into, "Why, un?"

"I was so out of it the other day that I forgot to take my poem/Tsunade's report on my latest injuries out of my bag. Which means I had it the other morning, you follow?"

"Uh-huh, un."

"Then Sasori clipped me outside Art and my shit went everywhere, and now I _don't_ have it. Don't. Fucking. Have it."

Deidara stared at him like a deer caught in headlights, "W-well, was there anything incriminating on it, un?"

The Jashinist scowled at him, "_Not _the point. I owe that creepy bastard an asswhooping! Clip me, fine, but fucking _body_slamming me and making me lose something that important?"

"Do you remember the poem, un?"

"Dei! You _kick_. His. _Ass_. Do you _hear _me?"

The blonde panicked, "UN! Okay, okay, un, I'll kick Sasori-danna's ass, un!"

Which was essentially Deidara's way of saying: 'Sir, yes, sir! Un.' Hidan looked around at the mess he'd made in his fruitless paper-finding-tantrum, already envisioning Tsunade's scolding ringing in his ears. _Dammit, can this day get any worse?_

"Hidan, it's getting late, come into my room."

The albino's head thumped on the coffee table. _Had to ask, didn't I?_ He sighed and got up, heading for the elder blonde's bedroom/examination room/office. Tsunade already had the scissors and things set up as he began undressing. _Could have been worse. Just keep thinking positive: it could have been worse. __**So **__much worse._

Tsunade apparently saw his apprehension, "Calm down, Hidan. I just want to look at your back. You were lucky you _didn't_ need stitches 'there' again."

He ground his teeth and nodded, "Mm-hmm." It didn't matter _what _Tsunade was looking at, he was never again in his life going to be comfortable having someone behind him when he was anything less than fully dressed. Throwing his cloak on the bed, Hidan leaned against Tsunade's high desk and concentrated on his breathing.

He heard the quiet 'snick snick' and felt the tugging between his shoulder blades, "Deep breaths, we've got a ways to go. It almost went down to the muscle, not that that's saying much for someone with as little body-fat as you."

His reply came from a clenched jaw, "Neechan, I appreciate the pep-talk, really. But could you please shut the fuck up?"

Tsunade didn't take offence at his venom, silently continuing to remove the twenty-six stitches she'd put across his shoulders the week before. No more than ten minutes after he'd entered the room, she pulled the last thread and covered the area in neosporin cream. Hidan sighed in relief and looked over at the small pile of bloody threads on a napkin, attempting to peek over his shoulder at his back, "Am I bleeding again?"

Tsunade removed her gloves with a 'snap' and shook her head, "No, that's from when I put them in. Try not to have anymore encounters with broken glass, alright?"

"Right, like it was my _intention_ to drop the fucking plate. But if you think I looked bad, you should have seen the chair that was broken oven my back, nothing but splinters left, seriously."

She tossed his cloak to him, "I know, I'm the one that had to pluck them out of you."

"Hidan, un!"

They both rushed into the living room, "What?!"

"Tobi saw your dad's car going by, un!"

Panic lit the fuchsia eyes, "No! He was supposed to be late tonight!"

Deidara shoved his backpack into his arms, "Here, un. Tobi and I cleaned up the living room for you."

The shorter teen was jumping up and down by the door, "Hurry, Hidan-sempai, hurry."

He ran out without a goodbye, racing to beat his father to the house. Heart beating madly, he moved through the woods in a blur, a route he'd taken so many times it'd left a path through the trees. His lungs were screaming for air by the time the woodland around him faded to the large open wild grass field behind the house's backyard. The sun had just set and he could see the chill in the air as his breath fogged out, the cold a welcome measure to his overheated system as he leaned down with his hands on his knees to gulp air.

Taking a large breath, Hidan pushed onward, his stomach dropping to his feet when he rounded the back fence and saw the car in the driveway. His head dropped and he trudged to the door, fist trembling as he raised it to knock, knowing the door was locked as soon as his father entered the building.

Did the door open with the ominous squeak of a hinge, or was that just him? A deep voice full of concern came from somewhere over his head, "Hidan, you had me worried. Where were you?"

"J-just... out."

A sigh, "Come in, we'll discuss this inside."

"Yes, sir."

If the squeak had been in his mind, the sound the door made as it closed behind him and the lock clicking into place really _were _ominous. Hidan's backpack fell to the floor as his arm was twisted up behind him, causing him to stand on his toes in an attempt to lessen the pain. That same voice, lacking every facade of decency or caring, breathed in his ear, "I came home and you _weren't here."_

"I h-had things to- ugn- do."

His arm was twisted harshly and he felt it pop out of it's socket, "What a coincidence, I have something to _do_, too." Hidan couldn't suppress the shiver that went through him as he was shoved to the ground, "Go to your room."

He instinctively put his hands out to break his fall, too late to rein in the impulse, and landed heavily on his bad arm. He couldn't have screamed if he'd tried, the pain took his breath away so sharply. He struggled to his feet and made to the bedroom, shaking in reaction with trepidation wrapping chilled tendrils around his spine, before the punishment had even begun. _D-dammit. Why am I so weak around him? Why am I so fucking pathetic? Why... why me?_ Hidan felt the wetness trying to climb in his eyes and chased it away by focusing on the pain in his shoulder. _I won't cry dammit! F-fuck, it's going to be a long night._


End file.
